Althouse: "They have a right to rally. But what they don't have the right [to] do is distort what Dr. King's dream was about."

August 27, 2010

"They have a right to rally. But what they don't have the right [to] do is distort what Dr. King's dream was about."

Said Al Sharpton, narrowly defining rights. It's so close to the time when everyone was talking about the mosque near Ground Zero and even the staunch opponents assured us that there was a right to build the mosque, but that didn't mean it was a good thing to do.

I haven't been following this controversy, and I don't really know what Glenn Beck and his cohort are doing that could be construed as "distort[ing] what Dr. King's dream was about." But it's quite obvious that we all do have a right to distort King's ideas or any other ideas as much as we damned well please. And Sharpton and the rest of us also have a right to say that there is no such right, but it's not good to say that. Because it's not true. And it's anti-freedom. Ironically.

219 comments:

«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 219 of 219

Ritmo Re-Animated said...: Nah - Fascism is exportable to mindsets anywhere. Palin can have the mooseburgers and Mussolini can have the linguini. Let's not make this about food, man!; 8/28/10, 5:02 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: Alpha, you assert that it wasn't a large crowd by posting a photo of people leaving the Washington Monument which is located on the opposite end of the National Mall from the event?; 8/28/10, 5:03 PM
Trooper York said...: My favorite restuarant is an old school forciaera where they came from Sicily in 1904. They make great panele sandwiches. A panele is a chick pea pancake served on a crusty roll with fresh riccota and shaved parmersan cheese. I always send people to eat and they always love it.

It has the same decor since they remodeled. In 1937.

I always say "sit at the last table in the back near the window to the yard. Under the picture of Mussolini."; 8/28/10, 5:25 PM
GMay said...: Freeman,

It appears as if AL has ducked another thread.

How...unexpected!; 8/28/10, 6:00 PM
Synova said...: At our local science fiction convention today or yesterday (I think, yesterday) when we were talking about vampires and werewolves one of the panelists said... Democrats are vampires, Republicans are were wolves, and the Tea Party are the Zombies.

It got a big laugh.

(Dems were vampires because vampires are urban and Reps were werewolves because werewolves are rural... sort of. Cultured and refined vs. fly-over country. But all in all werewolves were better than vampires because werewolves are closer to human and, ultimately, still alive.)

My point, though... to me the characterization of the Tea Party as Zombies makes no sense except as a reference to the age of the people who show up to rallies and that was never even alluded to, SO, it seems to me that the criticism of Tea Parties is really strangely divorced from reality. The actual message of Tea Parties, the small government - fiscal conservatism - roll back basics is practically innocuous. Oh, the speakers are breathing fire, but the actual subject is BORING on the best of days and not at all, even remotely, radical. Which may explain the criticism better than anything else... there simply IS nothing about the boring, innocuous, request for respect and a little bit of personal space from government that can be criticized. So, ta-da, they are racist and horrible and distorting MLK and whatever else.

But... honestly... as silly as the "Zombie" joke was, when the portrayal of a movement is so... fictional... is it really that outrageous to expect future opposition to be equally out of proportion and equally delusional?; 8/28/10, 11:13 PM
Synova said...: The funniest dang thing about "Idiocracy" is how all the "smart" people stopped having babies and caused the whole problem... cuz they was *smart*.

It was down right hysterical.; 8/28/10, 11:20 PM
miller said...: You know, you're all correct. No black person today has any reason for resentment at anything.

I'm sure that will work if you keep saying it long enough. Because apparently those black people that are so resentful over this co-opting of MLK are simply foolish and emotional and uneducated.

Everything is hunky-dory and if those black people would just stop being so dang emotional and would just stop being black and start acting white why then the millennium would come.

Have I parodied and reductio ad absurdum'ed enough?

I'm sorry I wasn't clear. I'm trying to say that for whatever reason, a lot of black people are simply highly offended by the comparison between the struggle for identity and participation in American culture and the victimhood of fairly successful middle class whites who for whatever reason feel like their political views aren't being recognized.

I for one thought I'd never see the day when I was simply disgusted with the cluelessness of conservatives.

I don't think Beck, Palin, and other were thinking of poking their fingers in the collective eye of black Americans when they picked this date and venue. The problem is, they just weren't thinking.

And this just leads to a widening chasm between blacks and whites. But the values discussed at Tea Party events - limited government, reduced spending, freer economic activity for business - sounds like this: "Let's take away the only ladder the marginalized have."

I know you'll want to correct me:"But we're not saying that! We're saying that all these things lead to more freedom and more justice, that people who take control of their own lives will find that liberty is the result." I agree with that. I think smaller government IS good, and less spending IS good, and freer economic activity for business IS good.

But the marginalized simply hear it as "we got in the lifeboat, so tough on you. Hope those swimming lessons pay off."

I know it isn't fair for those people to misunderstand Beck et al. so widely. But they do, because the generally well-off and confident and successful people who attend these rallies don't have a clue of how much the marginalized simply can't get what they have.

Now go on back to your discussion on how those black people should just understand how bad those white people have it. Black people love to hear that kind of talk because it helps them empathize with the plight of oppressed white people.

I'm of the opinion of the Beck rally as I am of the GZM: it's perfectly within their rights, but it shows appalling lack of understanding and empathy.; 8/29/10, 10:16 AM
miller said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/29/10, 10:17 AM
miller said...: Sorry for the double post. Blogspot being cranky today, I guess.; 8/29/10, 10:18 AM
TMink said...: I am driving back to Tennessee from the rally. We had a wonderful time. I watched that phony Al on TV last night getting the smackdown from Dr. King's niece. That was almost as good as the rally! You can stick a fork in that shyster. He is done. Trey; 8/29/10, 6:54 PM
JAL said...: I'm of the opinion of the Beck rally as I am of the GZM: it's perfectly within their rights, but it shows appalling lack of understanding and empathy.

So what exactly did Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin say which Martin Luther King would have diagreed with?

What is WITH "you people" that you have to make a rally like this anti-MLK and anti I-have-a-Dream?

Ohhhhh. They weren't Democrats.; 8/29/10, 7:52 PM
michaele said...: Just got back from the rally and it was a positive experience. The crowd was impressively big. My group could barely get close enough to watch the farthest placed jumbotron. The message I took away was that we need as individuals to do some serious soul searching and try to be our best selves for the sake of ourselves, our families and our country. We need to live with honor and decency...doesn't seem disturbingly controversial to me. And, oh yes, God was mentioned...how scary.; 8/29/10, 9:02 PM
TMink said...: Yeah, I have watched some youtube to get a better sense of what the speakers said, but I noted it was just addressed to us. Nothing was said about any of you, or even them. It was about us.

So if you were not there, or are not of a mind to agree that God is calling those of us who know Him into repentence, don't worry about it. I mean, listen to it or read the transcripts, please do that!

But you do not have to take it to heart. The speakers were not addressing you.

We are taking it to heart.

But this is America, and you do not have to consider it or apply it to your life even if it was addressed to you.

Trey; 8/29/10, 9:46 PM
TMink said...: " a lot of black people are simply highly offended by the comparison between the struggle for identity and participation in American culture and the victimhood of fairly successful middle class whites who for whatever reason feel like their political views aren't being recognized."

You have not heard the speeches or read the transcripts silly. No such comparison was made. The gay rights movement already has claim to that one. 8)

Dr. King talked about CHARACTER. He said we should be judged by it. The people at the rally want to act with better morals. I am surprised you are not pleased.

Get out more. Read the Bible. Or get at least a little data before your offended rant. It makes them look a tad more genuine.

Trey; 8/29/10, 9:51 PM
AlphaLiberal said...: GMay:
"It appears as if AL has ducked another thread."

No, I turned off the computer and went outside.

Hey, check out the news from Murfreesboro. The mosque construction site there, which some tried to stop, was torched by suspected arsonists. Bullets fired on members of the congregation visiting the site.

Hey, I'm sure that has nothing to do with the legitimization of anti-Muslim hate.; 8/30/10, 9:28 AM
AlphaLiberal said...: Alpha, you assert that it wasn't a large crowd by posting a photo of people leaving the Washington Monument which is located on the opposite end of the National Mall from the event?

Good catch! Well, just based on previous experience with these Fox News/Beck rallies, we know wild numbers (hundreds of thousands). At such a rally that area is swamped with such numbers.

Saw someone calling it "Whitestock." LOL!; 8/30/10, 9:30 AM
TMink said...: The data shows that the tea party movement is much more integrated than MSNBC or the Southern Poverty Law Center.

And it was more integrated than Al Sharpton't little get together.

You applaud that, right Alpha?

And I was there pal, as I was at last year's 9-12 march. This was big, way big.

You will see how big in November.

Trey; 8/30/10, 10:07 AM
Robin said...: Except for the part where this movement is stopping Muslims from the free exercise of their religion around the country. Not American.

Evidently creating fraudulent and libelous claims about the Rally is "American" as AlphaLiberal defines it.

Unbelievable.; 8/30/10, 7:59 PM
Robin said...: AlphaLiberal, just why are you making false claims about the Murfreesboro?

No one at the islamic center site was fired upon. While members of the islamic group were at the site, looking at the arson ( which was only a torched bulldozer ), they heard shots. Hey, its Tennessee and squirrel season is open. They had no idea what the target of those shots were. And those shots scared them soooo much that they reported them long after leaving the site.

Together with your fake photo claiming low attendance, I think we have a clear idea of your reliability.; 8/30/10, 8:15 PM